As I write this, four Artemis 2 astronauts are on their way back to Earth after making a trip around the Moon. Until they make their planned splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, on Friday, April 10, 2026, I want to look back at what we’ve written about our amazing natural satellite. Our Moon is very unique—unlike any other moon—in both size and number. There are how many moons in our solar system? You can see from THIS ARTICLE that the number of confirmed moons keeps changing.
Will the number of confirmed moons change again in the future? Probably, but we know that Earth has only one Moon, and it is just the right SIZE and MASS.
So, there are how many moons in our solar system? If you count all the moons orbiting the planets, the total is approximately 430. That number is subject to change, but there is only one that is just right, and I am sure God designed it that way.
We are only a week away from tax day in the United States, and I am concerned that I still haven’t completed my tax return. I’m surely not the only one in this situation, and it isn’t anything new. In fact, near the Western Wall in Jerusalem, archaeologists discovered part of what might be King Hezekiah’s unpaid royal tax bill, dating from the eighth or seventh century BC.
What they found is part of a bulla, a piece of clay used to seal a document. A bulla often summarized what was inside the attached document. This one, from the first temple period, is written in Neo-Assyrian and appears to relate to a delay in paying a royal tax bill owed to Assyria by the king of Judah. Archaeologists confirmed that the clay came from the Assyrian heartland near the Tigris River. It would be interesting to see the full document from the Assyrian equivalent of the IRS, but we can learn some things from this fragment.
The document confirms a due date on the first day of the month of Av (not April 15). It also mentions a chariot officer, probably the one responsible for bringing the royal tax bill from Assyria to Jerusalem. It seems that King Hezekiah was late in paying his taxes. You can read about that in 2 Kings 18. Verses 5 and 7 tell us that “Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel…And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.”
If you think you can get by without paying your taxes by trusting the Lord, consider this. Verse 13 states that Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, attacked and captured all the fortified cities of Judah. Then Hezekiah sent him this message: “I have done wrong. Withdraw from me, and I will pay whatever you demand of me” (verse 14). Sennacherib demanded a lot. The royal tax bill forced Hezekiah to surrender all the silver in the temple and the royal treasury.
One lesson here is to pay your taxes on time, but there’s more. The most important thing we learn from this document is that it aligns with what we read in the Bible. Archaeological discoveries continue to support the biblical record. It’s another sign that we can trust the Bible.
The physical resurrection of Jesus Christ is central to the Christian faith. It transformed the apostles from frightened cowards to bold proclaimers of the gospel. The resurrection was central to Paul’s preaching and evangelism. He wrote, “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith… If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:14, 19-20).
The resurrection offers comfort to believers and serves as a sign to unbelievers, the impetus for evangelism. It is what gives us hope that this life is not the end of our existence. The resurrection was the only miracle Jesus predicted beforehand, and through it, He proved that He truly was the Son of God with power over death.
As we remember what Christ did for us on the cross, we also recall that it was through the resurrection that He conquered death and hell. That’s what gives us hope. It affirms the gospel message. Earlier, we quoted a passage from the Roman historian Cornelius Tacitus. Part of that quote said Nero blamed the Christians for the fire in Rome. Tacitus wrote that the Christian “superstition” originated from “Christus” who “suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome…”
Notice that Tacitus said this “superstition” was checked for the moment, but broke out again. Why did it break out again after the instigator had been put to death? The only reason is because of the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ! This pagan Roman historian actually confirms the resurrection of Christ!
At this season of the year, we’re reminded of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. However, we must not think of it just once a year but every week and every day. That is what the Christian faith is built on and what gives us hope even when things seem hopeless. The physical resurrection of Jesus Christ is verified by both biblical and historical testimony.
In June 1968, during excavation in Jerusalem to build apartments, archaeologists discovered a first-century Jewish burial site. One significant find from that excavation relates to the crucifixion of Yohanan Ben Ha‘galgol.
Jewish burial customs in the first century included the use of ossuaries. An ossuary is a limestone box, often with ornate carvings, used to hold the bones of a deceased. They typically had the name carved into them. After the initial burial and decomposition, the bones would be collected and placed into the ossuary to save burial space. At this Jerusalem site, archaeologists uncovered the remains of 35 Jews. They apparently died around AD 70, during the Jewish uprising against Rome, with evidence of violent deaths caused by beating, starvation, burning, or arrow wounds.
One man, estimated to be 24 to 28 years old and about 5 feet 7 inches tall, had been crucified. His bones still bore a 7-inch spike driven sideways through the heels, with small pieces of wood attached. Nails had also been driven through the radius and ulna bones near the hands. The radius bone, in particular, was scratched and worn smooth where the nail passed through. During crucifixion, victims had to pull themselves up to breathe, then fall back exhausted until, lacking the strength to continue, they would suffocate. This movement had apparently worn the ulna bone in Yohanan’s case. We know his name because it was carved into his ossuary.
Yohanan’s leg bones were broken—his left tibia and fibula, and his right tibia—likely struck by a single blow. According to John 19:31-35, Roman soldiers would sometimes break the legs of crucifixion victims to hasten death. In Jesus’ case, they didn’t have to break His legs because He was already dead, confirmed by the spear thrust into His side.
Yohanan Ben Ha’galgol’s crucifixion confirms that Romans nailed victims through the heels or feet and wrists, causing agonizing death by suffocation over several hours. Sometimes, bodies were left on crosses for days as an example for others. At other times, soldiers broke the legs to speed up death—not for the victim’s benefit, but to expedite the crucifixion process.
Nearly two millennia later, Yohanan Ben Ha’galgol’s crucifixion helps us better understand what Jesus endured on the cross. Before crucifixion, Jesus had suffered a beating and blood loss, nearly to death, and a crown of thorns pressed on His head, causing blood to stream over His face. But His greatest anguish was when He cried out, “God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Being separated from the Father for the first time in eternity is beyond our understanding, but we know He endured it all for us.
Everyone is familiar with Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting, The Last Supper. The painting shows the moment after Jesus revealed to His apostles that one of them would betray Him. We see each apostle’s reaction. Leonardo divided the twelve into four groups of three.
On the far right of Jesus, we see Bartholomew, James (the son of Alphaeus), and Andrew with surprised looks. Next is Peter, holding a knife that perhaps he would later use to cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant. He leans over to John, the youngest apostle, who seems to have swooned, perhaps telling him to ask Jesus who the betrayer is. Judas, leaning forward between Peter and John, holds the money bag and reaches for the same loaf of bread Jesus is reaching for.
On Jesus’ left side, we see Thomas, James (the brother of Jesus), and Philip. Thomas looks to be questioning what Jesus just said about betrayal. James appears stunned, while Philip seeks clarification. On the far end of the table, we see Matthew, Jude (Thaddeus), and Simon the Zealot. Matthew and Thaddeus are looking at Simon. Did they suspect him?
Leonardo spent a lot of time walking around Milan looking for ordinary individuals to model the faces of the apostles. After all, the apostles were just ordinary people. Does the painting accurately show the real setting of the Last Supper? Probably not. The Bible says they gathered in a large above-ground room (Mark 14:18). It might have been the same place where Jesus appeared to them a week after His resurrection. The painting depicts a banquet hall with all the men seated on one side of a long table covered with a white cloth with blue stripes, and each man has a glass and a plate. In the first century, it was common to follow the Roman custom of reclining on a U-shaped arrangement of lounges called a triclinium around a small table.
Does the painting accurately show the apostles’ immediate reactions? We have no way of knowing, but it’s interesting to think about. If you were one of the apostles, how would you have reacted? Would you be shocked to learn your friend and teacher was about to be betrayed and killed? Would you want to know who the betrayer was? Could it be you?
Jesus told His apostles what was ahead to prepare them for the grief they would soon face. At the Last Supper, He also gave them the symbols of a loaf and a cup, to remind them whenever they gathered of His sacrifice — His body and blood. It also reminds us “until He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26) that everything happened according to God’s plan to redeem all who accept His gift of grace through Jesus Christ.
Is it possible that Christians could be a class hated for their abominations and their hatred against mankind? Unfortunately, the answer is “yes.” Building on yesterday’s account of Suetonius, we have the report of another Roman historian. Cornelius Tacitus lived around AD 55-120. He is known as “the greatest historian of ancient Rome.” Tacitus wrote Annals around AD 115, in which he recounts the great fire that burned much of Rome during Nero’s reign. Here is a shocking excerpt from that account: (Emphasis added)
“Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their center and become popular.
“Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination when daylight had expired.
“Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car. Hence, even for criminals who deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of compassion; for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one man’s cruelty, that they were being destroyed.”
Nero probably set the fire himself, but he had to blame someone, and Christians were not popular in pagan Rome, even among the Jews living there. Christians became the scapegoats. Notice Tacitus’ historical confirmation of the biblical account of Christ’s crucifixion.
Could Christians today become “a class hated for their abominations” and “hatred for mankind”? In some countries and among some groups, they already are. As Christians, we must follow Christ’s teaching and example and love even those who hate us. (See Matthew 5:43-48.)
Recently, we noted that Paul caused trouble for the silversmiths who made idols of Artemis in Ephesus. So many people were converting to Christianity that it was hurting the sale of Artemis idols. A riot broke out when Demetrius the silversmith accused the apostle Paul of being a troublemaker. History records other instances of Christians accused of being troublemakers.
During Emperor Claudius’s reign in AD 49, a series of riots erupted among the Jews in Rome. At that time, many Jews were becoming Christians, and the Jews who rejected the gospel didn’t like it. Claudius decided to expel all the Jews from the city. Roman historian Suetonius, who served as chief secretary to Emperor Hadrian (117-138), recorded this event. Though he wrote later, his position gave him access to the imperial records. He wrote:
“Because the Jews at Rome caused continuous disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, he expelled them from the city.”
“Chrestus” is a variant spelling of “Christ,” and Suetonius could not distinguish between Christ and the Christians. They were Christians accused of being troublemakers. We read in Acts 18:1-2 about two of the Jewish Christians who were expelled from Rome:
“After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome.”
Suetonius’s account provides evidence from a reputable Roman historian supporting the biblical record. After meeting Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth, Paul preached to the Jews there, telling them Jesus was the Christ (Acts 18:5). However, the Jews “opposed Paul and became abusive” (verse 6), just as they had in Rome. This led Paul to declare that he was free from his responsibility to the Jews. He said, “From now on, I will go to the Gentiles.”
Suetonius also wrote about the great fire in Rome, likely started by Nero, who blamed it on Christians. More on that tomorrow. The key point is that Roman history confirms the biblical account. Earlier in Thessalonica, Christians accused of being troublemakers were called “these who have turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6). Actually, they were turning it right side up, and we still have much work to do in that regard today.
The night sky and Milky Way over the Himalayas in Nepal
Five months ago, we reported that a California company called Reflect Orbital planned to place 4,000 solar mirrors in a sun-synchronous orbit to reflect sunlight into Earth’s twilight areas. They claimed it would extend the hours of solar energy production, allow people to work later, improve safety, and boost crop growth. They planned to test the concept in April 2026. (You can find that posting HERE.) Now, space.com reports that they want to place 50,000 orbiting mirrors that are three times larger than the original plan. Are we facing the end of the night sky?
Adding to the Reflect Orbital proposal, in January, Elon Musk’s SpaceX announced plans to launch one million power-hungry data centers into space, where they can utilize solar energy. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must approve these plans, which they appear to be fast-tracking. Astronomers worldwide are alarmed.
Robert Massey, deputy director of the Royal British Astronomical Society (RAS), objected that these proposals are “absolutely the destruction of a central part of human heritage.” He said, “It would absolutely transform our view of the sky.” RAS and many other research organizations are filing objections with the FCC.
According to Massey, the night sky would be three times brighter because of Reflect Orbital’s sun-reflecting mirrors, and dark-sky sanctuaries where astronomers place their telescopes would be lost. The SpaceX data centers would not be as bright as the mirrors but would still be visible to the naked eye. Astrophysicist Noelia Noel at the UK’s University of Surrey said, “While innovation in satellite technology brings clear societal benefits, scaling to hundreds or even millions of bright objects—or deliberately illuminating the Earth from orbit—risks fundamentally altering the night sky. This would have profound consequences not only for astronomy but also for ecosystems, our cultural heritage, and our collective relationship with the cosmos.”
When the psalmist David admired the night sky, he had no satellites or solar reflectors to get in the way as he wrote, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day, they pour forth speech; night after night, they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” (Psalms 19:1-4) I pray that we will always be able to be in awe of the night sky and see the message of God’s glory it conveys.
In just a few days, as early as April 1, 2026, NASA will send astronauts to the Moon to orbit it and then return to Earth as part of the Artemis program. This will be the first time in over 50 years that American astronauts have traveled to the Moon. NASA named the project Artemis for several reasons. Why did NASA choose this name, and who is Artemis?
In Greek mythology, Artemis was the twin sister of Apollo. During the Apollo program, NASA successfully landed astronauts on the Moon six times between 1961 and 1972. The ancient Greeks believed Apollo was the god of the Sun, and Artemis was the goddess of the Moon. NASA chose to name the project Artemis to connect it to earlier lunar missions. Additionally, the Greeks believed Artemis was protective and closely linked to nature. This lunar mission emphasizes sustainability and long-term exploration. While the Apollo missions landed near the Moon’s equator, the Artemis astronauts will explore toward the Moon’s south pole, where they hope to find water. Another reason for choosing a female goddess is that NASA plans to land the first woman on the Moon.
So, who is Artemis? You may be familiar with the incident in Ephesus described in Acts 19. Ephesus was a Greek city in Asia Minor (present-day Turkey). It was home to a temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis. Paul had been preaching there for two years (verse 10) and had led many people to be “baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus” (verse 5). Verse 20 states that “the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.”
The gospel’s success in Ephesus angered some merchants, especially a silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis. Selling these idols brought in a lot of money for the local merchants. Demetrius stirred up a crowd, telling them that Paul was convincing people that “man-made gods were no gods at all.” He warned: “There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited, and the goddess herself, who is worshipped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”
Demetrius’s speech caused a stir, and the entire city was in an uproar (verse 29). The people seized Paul’s companions, Gaius and Aristarchus, and took them into the theater. Only the city clerk was able to calm and dismiss the crowd, telling them that the matter should be settled in court, not in the theater of public opinion.
The question of “who is Artemis” can be answered by saying she is “no goddess at all.” I pray that the Artemis mission will be safe and successful. I also pray that we, as a nation, will not depend on false gods or goddesses but will turn to the one true God, just as many of the people in Ephesus did.
It’s springtime, and one of the great things about this season is that it gives us more daylight hours. The benefits of sunlight and its warmth help plants grow, making everything feel new. In Genesis 1:14, we read that God cleared the air to make the lights in the sky visible, so they could separate day from night and serve as signs for seasons, days, and years. Animals rely on the Sun, Moon, and stars to know when to breed and when and how to migrate. Plants need sunlight for photosynthesis, which produces oxygen that humans and animals need.
The benefits of sunlight include both our physical and mental health. Sunlight regulates our circadian rhythm, the biological clock that controls sleep, appetite, and hormone production. Daylight boosts serotonin levels, signaling it’s time to wake up. Spending time outside in the sunlight helps our bodies produce vitamin D, which may help protect against dementia, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic illnesses.
After a long, dark winter, going outside to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air makes us feel refreshed. Even sitting near a window with sunlight streaming in improves our mood. Light therapy is sometimes used to treat depression, especially seasonal depression during the winter months. While we consider the benefits of sunlight, we need to remember that excessive direct exposure to ultraviolet light can lead to skin cancer, cataracts, and macular degeneration.
Genesis 1:15 states that the “lights in the expanse of the sky” were meant to “give light on the earth.” John 1:4-5 tells us Jesus came to bring true light to the world. We could not live without the benefits of sunlight, and I wouldn’t want to live in a world without Jesus, who came to bring us light and life. John also reminds us that Jesus created the light and everything else that exists. (See John 1:1-14.)
